Emmett Scanlan (Hollyoaks' Brendan) interview
Cheryl’s brother Brendan Brady (Emmett Scanlan) bursts into Hollyoaks in August and he is a real bad boy!
> Find out the latest Hollyoaks spoilers.
> Read our Hollyoaks summer 2010 preview.
> Watch the summer 2010 trailer.
Driven by inner demons, he lies, cheats and is willing to do just about anything to get what he wants. Everyone can see that he is trouble but poor Cheryl will have none of it - in her eyes Brendan is a real gent. He’s scheming, nasty and at times violent and he’s set to stir up some serious trouble in Hollyoaks Village this summer!
LastBroadcast caught up with Emmett to find out more...
How would you describe the character of Brendan?
"Brendan is the type of guy who defines his own morals, his own principles and lives with the consequences. His principles may be different from yours or mine - it doesn't make him bad or good, it just makes him Brendan..."
What’s his relationship with his sister Cheryl like?
"Brendan cares about two things in this world: himself and his family. Chez is family, his baby sister, he'd do anything to protect her, and protect her from anyone. Protecting her from himself, however, is a different matter."
We’ve been told that Brendan’s a bad boy - does he reveal this side straight away? Or does it take people a while to realise what he’s like?
"I don’t think of Brendan as a bad guy, I cant. You can’t judge your character before you play him. If you do that, you'll mess up and you'll stop coming from a place of honesty.
"You know from the first scene that there is something not right about Brendan. Part of that is my face - I've got one of those faces, when you look at me and think ‘dickhead’! But it's mostly in the writing. The writers spare no time throwing in Brendan’s dark demonic side. I love playing someone else's inner demons. Like I do with my own."
Who in particular is he going to be causing trouble for?
"Brendan doesn't discriminate, if you get in his way you're going down."
Does he have a softer side and there be any romance coming up for him?
"Brendan is a father of two boys - he's vulnerable when it comes to them or Cheryl. He cares deeply about them, in his own way.
"So far he's hooked up with Mitzeee and there are a couple of other ladies in the show that he makes a play for. For Brendan it's about the power he has over others. That's what turns him on."
What’s it like working with Bronagh Waugh, who plays Cheryl?
"Bronagh is a live wire on and off set. She's beautiful, hard, vulnerable and hugely giving... I love working with her."
Will we be see any more of the family appear?
"My wife comes into the show and with her comes dark secrets from my past. With her comes more details of who Brendan is and was when back in Ireland."
Were you excited about your first scenes airing?
"I like watching the episodes only to see what I should and shouldn't be doing. Sometimes I'm good and sometimes I'm bad at any one moment. When I'm good I got lucky, when I'm bad I got something to learn... I prefer to be lucky in public."
What sort of reaction are you expecting from viewers?
"Honestly, I don't think about how I will be perceived by the public. What they think is completely out of my control. What is in my control is what I think. Too many people give power to others and not enough to themselves. If they like Brendan then that's a bonus - if they don't, they don't..."
Are you enjoying Liverpool life? Do you miss Ireland?
"Any place is only as good as your state of mind, and right now I'm on my honeymoon period in Liverpool. I love this city and its people. Of course I miss Ireland, but she's always going to be there for me. My family and friends come over here all the time, but right now my home is Liverpool, and she's a fine mistress."
Apart from acting, what are your other hobbies and interests?
"I love anything that takes me out of me comfort zone. I love to take risks and experience."
Last film you saw at the cinema:
"I’m a massive Tom Cruise fan, so I went to see Knight And Day with Cooper the other day, but I was very disappointed."
Last TV show boxset you bought:
"House... fuckin’ love Hugh Laurie!"
Last album you bought:
"Paulo Nutini."
Interviewed by Will Martin on 16th August 2010.
